In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, we, the inventors, typically hybridize a large number of peach, nectarine, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. We also grow a smaller number of open pollinated seeds of each of these fruits, usually to capture recessive traits. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of nectarine tree, which has been denominated varietally as ‘Pearlicious XX’.
In 2003 we made a first generation hybridization using ‘52P564’ (unpatented) nectarine as the selected seed parent and ‘37P398’ (unpatented) nectarine as the selected pollen parent. Upon reaching maturity the fruit of this hybridization was gathered, and the seeds were removed, cracked, stratified, germinated, and grown as seedlings on their own root in our greenhouse facility. Upon reaching dormancy we transplanted them to a cultivated area of our experimental orchard located near Le Grand, Calif., in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley). During the fruit evaluation season of 2008 we selected the present variety as a single tree from the group of seedlings described above. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of nectarine tree, we asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting in the experimental orchard described above, and such reproduction of plant and fruit characteristics were true to the original tree in all respects. The reproduction of the variety included the use of ‘Nemaguard’ (unpatented) rootstock upon which the present variety was compatible and true to type.
The present variety is similar to its seed parent, ‘52P564’ (unpatented) nectarine, by being self-fertile and by producing nectarines that are mostly red in skin color, that are clingstone in type, that are medium to large in size, and that ripen in the late season, but is quite distinguished from it by producing fruit that is white instead of yellow in flesh color, that is sub-acidic instead of acidic in flavor, that is much sweeter, and that ripens about two weeks later.
The present variety is similar to its pollen parent, ‘37P398’ (unpatented) nectarine, by being self-fertile and by producing nectarines that are mostly red in skin color, white in flesh color, clingstone in type, and sub-acidic in flavor, but is quite distinguished from it by producing fruit that is larger in size, that has less skin freckling, and that ripens about two weeks later.
The present variety is most similar to ‘Pearlicious XVII’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,835) nectarine by having a moderate size tree, by having showy blossoms, by being self-fertile, by requiring about 650 chilling hours, and by producing nectarines that are fairly red in skin color, white in flesh color, clingstone in type, firm in texture, fairly globose in shape, and very sweet in flavor, but is distinguished therefrom by producing nectarines that are somewhat smaller in size, that have a bitter instead of sweet kernel, and that mature about twenty-five days later.